Energy bill isn't really that at all
On Dec. 18, President Bush signed the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. Wow, we can all now express our appreciation to the Washington crowd for finally tackling the nation's energy problems.
But wait. Read the bill. You will find that it is not an energy bill. Instead, it is an energy conservation bill.
The bill permits a further intrusion of the "Nanny State" into our lives by dictating what kind of cars we should drive, what kind of appliances we should buy, what kind of light bulbs we should use, and it mandates that we live and work in so-called "green buildings."
Insidiously, the bill requires that more corn production be re-directed toward bio-fuel production. Corn in our gas tanks cannot be used as food to feed the world's poor.
I am not opposed to most forms of conservation, but I am really for the creation of new sources of energy. This new bill does absolutely nothing to promote the creation of new sources of energy.
Where is the provision for drilling in ANWAR and off our coastal shelves? Where is the provision for wind energy turbines, for installation near the homes of the rich and famous off the coast of Nantucket? Where are the permits and incentives for new nuclear plants? Where is the money for laboratories to work on developing new sources of energy?
Right now, our national security and our economic future is negatively impacted by our dependence upon oil. We systematically transfer billions of our wealth each year to unstable allies (or enemies) in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Those receiving our billions build more palaces, buy up U.S. real estate and businesses and fund terrorists whose avowed intention it is to kill Americans. Thus, it is the height of recklessness that those who we've hired to run our government can't or won't take action to make our nation energy independent. We've been let down by the pols once again, folks.
We are in the thick of the unending presidential campaign. We need to listen carefully to see if any candidate is truly devoted to helping our country become energy independent. If we don't hear about this in our "conversation" with the candidates, we should force it to become part of what is said.
Charles F. Falk
Schaumburg